Sony has announced two new wireless speakers, and they pack plenty of tech to fill your room with sound.
The SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 both support Sony 360 Reality Audio and feature Immersive Audio Enhancement. 360 Reality Audio is a spatial sound format that allows for 360-degree sound, while Immersive Audio Enhancement upscales stereo sound so it has a surround effect.
But these aren’t the only strings to these speakers’ bows. The RA5000 (the pricier of the two) is also certified for Hi-Res Audio. It’s the most interesting-looking of the two and boasts three up-firing speakers to spread music vertically, and three middle speakers to handle horizontal duties.
Inside the RA3000 is a full-range speaker, an omni-diffuser that spreads sound throughout the room in every direction and a dual passive radiator to handle bass. Overlapping beam tweeters form an upward wavefront, delivering sound vertically and supposedly making audio more immersive.
(Image credit: Sony)
Both speakers can be calibrated to your room, too. On the RA5000, you hold down a button and the speaker conducts a “detailed sound calibration adjustment” for its surroundings. The RA3000 calibrates itself automatically, with no button presses needed.
They adjust the volume track-by-track to ensure it’s consistent, and they work with Google Assistant, Chromecast built-in and Alexa devices, giving them voice controls. Bluetooth and wi-fi come as standard, and they work as multi-room speakers, so you can play the same or different tunes in each room.
They work with compatible Sony TVs too, beefing up the telly’s audio. Finishes? Both come with a black body and contrasting copper highlights, while the RA3000 also comes in a light grey fabric body with silver accents. The RA3000 is humidity resistant too, making it perfect for the bathroom or kitchen.
Both go on sale in February. The SRS-RA5000 will cost £500/€599, and the SRS-RA3000 £280/€359.
Sony has also added video streaming to its 360 Reality Audio offering. The aim is to recreate the feel of a live gig – very timely, given that music venues around the world are currently closed. It’s currently in talks with major music labels and service providers to begin streaming video content later this year.
To showcase the new feature, Sony is putting on a concert with musician Zara Larsson on Monday night. To watch, you’ll need the Artist Connection app on your device.
Sony is also looking to expand its library of compatible 360 Reality Audio devices, and to help it achieve this, the company has announced it will start to license out certain technologies.
There is a headphones personalization technology that analyzes the listener’s hearing characteristics, and also technology that enable smartphones and automotive vehicles to play 360 Reality Audio.
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When it comes to testing a new turntable, stereo amplifier, pair of speakers or a whole vinyl system, it is, of course, vital that you are familiar with the music and recording that you are listening to. Otherwise, how can you tell one piece of equipment from another and compare the two?
There are no hard and fast rules for what we use to distinguish between different pieces of kit, and everyone has their own particular favourites, of course – but some albums are picked off the shelf more than others.
Here, then, are some of our go-to albums from the 1960s. It could have been extremely Beatles heavy, we confess, so we’ve gone for just one of their albums – but in our opinions, each of the superb pieces of work below merits a place in everyone’s collection.
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In the Court of the Crimson King – King Crimson (1969)
(Image credit: Robert Fripp)
A listen to this remarkable prog rock album will reveal just how influential it has been in the half century following its release. Robert Fripp and his band members fuse jazz, classical, blues and loads in between in a mesmeric debut album that was outsold in 1969 only by, inevitably, The Beatles.
A listen to this album can be the musical equivalent of a wine or whisky tasting: “I’m getting a healthy amount of jazz fusion married to some early Sabbath, with undertones of spaghetti western.” It’s a wonderful ride.
View In the Court of the Crimson King on Amazon
Lady Soul – Aretha Franklin (1968)
(Image credit: Warner)
Superb performances of timeless classics, Lady Soul is Aretha at her incomparable finest. Standouts are (You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman, People Get Ready, Chain Of Fools, and the closing track Ain’t No Way – but you really can’t go wrong with any track on this wonderful collection.
View Lady Soul on Amazon
Songs of Leonard Cohen – Leonard Cohen (1967)
(Image credit: Sony Music)
Where it all began. The other-worldly poet and songwriter released his first album in 1967 – and of course continues to be loved and cherished by generations of music lovers.
Here we find Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy and So Long, Marianne as the stand-out tracks – but this is, once again, a wonderful collection.
In our mind, everyone should benefit from the wisdom and beauty of Leonard; and this is the place to start.
View Songs of Leonard Cohen on Amazon
Let It Bleed – The Rolling Stones (1969)
(Image credit: ABKCO)
This one just sneaks in, released as it was on 5th December 1969. And it was an appropriate way to wrap up the decade and end the hippie era.
The Rolling Stones have been pretty much an ever present, and this is one of their best albums (with a few rivals, it must be said). The classic Stones combination of blues, folk, rock and a bit of country all come together with a fine synergy in a collection bookended by the classic tracks Gimme Shelter and You Can’t Always Get What You Want.
View Let it Bleed on Amazon
A Love Supreme – John Coltrane (1965)
(Image credit: The Verve Music Group)
Simply a must for any collection, jazz or not, A Love Supreme is a remarkable piece of work from a quartet at the very peak of their powers – as fine an example of synergy you could ever hope to hear.
Divided into four parts, like a classical work, this album leads the listener on an emotional journey into spirituality after Coltrane’s undoubtedly more earth-bound and difficult life experiences. This is a masterpiece.
View A Love Supreme on Amazon
Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys (1966)
(Image credit: Capitol)
One of the all-time greats, of course, Pet Sounds has to be on our list. With melodies and close harmonies to die for, this album is the triumphant result of Brian Wilson quitting touring to concentrate on studio work.
And it took Beach Boys fans somewhat by surprise, it has to be said. This is no longer simply the bubble gum pop of before. Here are some heartfelt lyrics and stone cold classics such as Wouldn’t It Be Nice and the sublime God Only Knows.
View Pet Sounds on Amazon
Dusty in Memphis – Dusty Springfield (1969)
(Image credit: Mercury Records)
There’s not much not to like here. England’s favourite soul queen singing songs from such legends of the music business Carole King and Randy Newman, and produced by the likes of Jerry Wexler.
Son of a Preacher Man is, of course, what brings the listener here in the first place, but tracks such as Just One Smile, Don’t Forget About Me and even, dare we say it, The Windmills Of Your Mind, will make you so happy you invested.
View Dusty in Memphis on Amazon
Otis Blue – Otis Redding (1965)
(Image credit: Warner)
A superb collection of covers (the 60s was still a time when a great performer could sing a song without being even slightly criticised for not having also written it) from one of Soul’s greatest singers.
Redding had the A-team with him on this one, including producer Isaac Hayes and Booker T and the MG’s bass player, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn. Tracks such as Respect, My Girl, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, and A Change Is Gonna Come reveal a singer at the peak of his powers. Sublime.
View Otis Blue on Amazon
The Doors – The Doors (1967)
(Image credit: WEA International)
Starting with Break On Through (To The Other Side) and ending with, of course, The End, The Doors eponymous first album rocketed the LA band to global superstardom.
And, when you stick Light My Fire into the mix, it’s really easy to see why. Another collection must-have.
View The Doors on Amazon
Revolver – The Beatles (1966)
(Image credit: Apple Corp)
Of course we listen to The Beatles. Lots of The Beatles.
But for this selection of 60s specials, we have plumped for 1966’s Revolver, in part because, obviously, it’s one of the best albums ever made; but mostly for a contrasting playlist that goes from the sublime Eleanor Rigby to the faintly ridiculous Yellow Submarine, and then on to the trippy, out of its time final track, Tomorrow Never Knows. All that, and still it works as a piece of work in its entirety. Genius.
JBL at CES 2021 has put on the plate several innovations in the sector of Bluetooth wireless headphones, most characterized by the presence of active cancellation technologies Noise: At the top of the range we find the new JBL Tour, declined in the circumaural version JBL Tour ONE and in the True Wireless Stereo JBL Tour Pro +
by Roberto Colombo published on 08 January 2021 , at 15: 41 in the Audio Video channel JBL Harman Samsung
On the occasion of the co virtual press reference to CES 2021, which celebrated the 75 years of the JBL brand with two special editions of products dedicated to audiophiles, Harman (company which, we recall , has been owned by Samsung since 2016) has put on the plate several innovations in the sector of Bluetooth wireless headphones , most characterized by the presence of active noise cancellation technologies .
At the top of the range we find the new JBL Tour, declined in the circumaural version JBL Tour ONE and in the True Wireless Stereo JBL Tour Pro +.
JBL Tour ONE
JBL Tour ONE leverages dynamic drivers from 40 mm and is a headset Hi-Res Audio certified , with frequency response extended to 40 kHz. Leverage technology True Adaptive Noise Canceling for the active cancellation of external noises and allows you to activate the Adaptive Ambient Aware & TalkThru functions with the press of a button, to re-enter external sounds (for example when used in the city or to hear announcements at the station) and to talk to close people without having to remove the headphones. They offer fast charging on USB-C port and 40 hours music playback in Bluetooth: by activating the noise cancellation, however, the autonomy is halved. To offer good support for telephone calls, the headphones integrate 4 microphones. We naturally find support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants. Advanced functions include Auto Play / Pause when putting on and taking off the headphones.
Thanks to the Smart Audio Mode function, they can best adapt to different situations of use, by choosing the most suitable codec: normal, high fidelity for listening to music and low latency for viewing video without lag for audio playback delays.
JBL Tour Pro +
The new ones bring similar characteristics in the TWS segment JBL Tour Pro + , with noise cancellation Adaptive Noise Canceling , 6,8mm dynamic drivers, 6 hours autonomy with ANC and 8 in Bluetooth only (30 total hours with the refills provided by the case), fast recharge and Adaptive Ambient Aware and TalkThru functions. In this case there are 3 microphones on board each headset to pick up the voice using beam forming technology and better support during phone calls. Other features include the ability to connect the earphones to two devices at the same time and the resistance IPX4 to splashes of water and sweat. It will be interesting to try the? Check My Best Fit ?? feature? available in the mobile app, which should help users find the best fit combination for their earphones.
The new JBL Tour Series headphones will be available from late May: JBL Tour ONE will cost $ 299. while JBL Tour Pro + will be priced at $ 199. 95.
Noise Canceling also for the rest of the range, also for the reflective TWS for runners
As we said at the beginning, there are several other innovations that share the presence of technologies Active Noise Cancellation: JBL LIVE PRO + and JBL LIVE FREE NC + in the earphone segment true wireless stereo, while in the supra-aural headphones segment we find JBL LIVE 660 NC and JBL LIVE 460 NC .
Among the TWS the new JBL Reflect Mini NC , especially designed for those who practice outdoor sports: they offer waterproof with IPX7 certification and reflective inserts , designed for runners or evening walkers.
Audiostreaming has underpinned its importance as the format with the highest sales in the German music market with again significantly increased usage figures in the previous year. According to a special evaluation by the market research institute GfK Entertainment and the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), 2020 in this country were more than 139 Billions of music streams recorded.
That is almost a third more than 2019 (107 billion) and three quarters more than 2018 ( 79, 5 billion), BVMI reported on Friday. A year ago the association had announced on the annual figures 2019 that streaming via platforms such as Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, Tidal or Deezer had 55 Percentage of total sales in the CDs, downloads and vinyl sector far behind.
Record values on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve BVMI CEO Florian Drücke said that this was “a dynamic that we have seen for several years, including in the period before the pandemic. Music is now largely online belongs, which is also reflected in the market mix. ” In the first six months 2020 around two thirds of sales came from audio streaming revenues. Together with downloads and video streaming, “a total of three quarters of sales were generated online”.
The managing director of GfK Entertainment, Mathias Giloth, said: “Especially music” Made in Germany “, which makes up over half of the top 100 – streaming annual charts , is very popular – from genres as diverse as hip-hop, dance and pop. ” He added: “The days when the most streamed throughout Germany were once again Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve” with 605 millions and 537 Millions of hits – two record values. The evaluation was based on advertising-based and paid music streams from 31 seconds duration.
Xiaomi today announces two new smartphones from Redmi series that see the entrance to the 5G network at very competitive prices. Not only because alongside these there are also new devices for the ecosystem. Here are all the news.
by Bruno Mucciarelli published 08 January 2021 , at 14: 01 in the Telephony channel Xiaomi
Xiaomi announced today the arrival of Redmi Note 9T 5G , designed to offer interesting performance, a long-lasting battery, without compromising photographic capabilities and design and above all by introducing support for the 5G network. Alongside the undisputed protagonist of the event also the new entry-level smartphone Redmi 9T and new ecosystem devices: Mi Smart Clock and Mi 360 ° Home Security Camera 2K Pro.
Redmi Note 9T and Redmi 9T
Xiaomi Redmi Notes 9T 5G
Let’s start immediately with the first and most interesting smartphone presented during the event. Let’s talk about the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T that the company decides to power with a processor with integrated 5G support. In this case we are talking about the Dimensity 800 U of MediaTek and with it the new Redmi Note 9T is up to 100% faster than previous generations and clearly boasts energy efficiency thanks to an octa-core CPU and 7nm processing technology. The 5G connectivity will be here on two SIM cards at the same time – an absolute novelty of the Redmi Note series – which will clearly allow for maximum productivity. Thanks to the 4×4 MIMO technology and the presence of more antennas, Redmi Note 9T will therefore allow faster and more reliable connections, even in conditions of traffic congestion.
Camera level, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T 5G , sees the presence of a triple rear camera from 48 MP with 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro lens, will allow users to have in their hands, according to the company, a smartphone capable of making even less experienced users feel like real professional photographers. Large 1/2 inch sensor and ISP architecture allow for better image quality and faster processing, while its creativity tools – like Night, Pro + RAW, HDR and Portrait mode – allow users to capture the perfect shot regardless from the circumstances.
From an aesthetic point of view instead Redmi Note 9T was made for a ?? look and feel ?? premium with its Front 6 DotDisplay, 53 ?? Full HD + and a curved 3D Unibody rear shell. Its textured polycarbonate back offers better grip and is anti-fingerprint. And then there is also the Gorilla Glass 5 ready to protect against any accidental falls. Widevine L1 and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certified, Redmi Note 9T has been designed to handle hours of streaming HD content without the annoying eye strain. Convenient side fingerprint sensor that allows you to unlock the smartphone very easily. Redmi Note 9T is available in two color variants, Nightfall Black and Daybreak Purple .
And the battery? No problem because the smartphone is in possession of a large 5 battery. 00 0 mAh and advanced high-efficiency processor technology, which allow a perfect mix of performance and energy efficiency even with 5G. Redmi Note 9T offers fast charging from 18 W and comes with a battery charger from 22, 5W. Better yet, its high-cycle battery technology allows users to experience nearly three years of daily use without significant degradation of battery capacity.
Redmi Note 9T 5G will be available starting from 25 January in the version from 4GB + 64 GB on mi.com and at Mi Store Italia at the price of 269, 90 ?? he is alone for the prime 48 hours, on mi.com will be available for purchase at a price early bird of 239, 90 ?? .
Xiaomi Redmi 9T
Redmi 9T is yet another Xiaomi entry level. In this case it sees the presence of a quad AI rear camera from 48 MP which is paired with an 8MP ultra wide-angle camera that allows you to take photos of large group and wide landscapes without having to crop the image. There is also the 2MP macro lens and 2MP depth sensor that allow you to take great close-ups with even professional-level bokeh. Redmi 9T owns the function movie frame which gives photos a more cinematic look without the need for editing. It also features a new time-lapse function which takes advantage of various speed and duration values for shooting so that users can capture creative time-lapse photos without having to use a DSLR or other professional camera .
Despite its lightweight design, Redmi 9T has a 6 battery. 00 0 mAh and a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset 662 to 11 nm high energy efficiency, Redmi 9T offers high performance with less heat production and lower power consumption than previous generations. Additionally, MIUI’s battery saving mode and reverse wired charging capabilities help maximize all-day and even multi-day usage. Like Redmi Note 9T, Redmi 9T offers fast charging from 11 W e comes with a charger from 22, 5W.
Redmi 9T it features a design with rounded corners and an anti-fingerprint textured back. Its display of 6, 53 ?? Full HD + Dot Drop with Gorilla Glass 3 offers a crisp and clear visual experience and above all the company declares strong protection against cracks and scratches. To all this is added the Widevine L1 and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification for a more comfortable viewing experience. The device is available in four color variants: Carbon Gray, Twilight Blue, Sunrise Orange
Complete with Dual SIM and expandable microSD, Redmi 9T offers memory space expandable up to 361 GB so that users can keep their favorite applications, games, photos and videos on one device. Also, support for IR blasters will be very useful.
Redmi 9T will be available in Italy in the coming weeks but the price has not yet been revealed .
Mi Smart Clock and Mi 360 ° Home Security Camera 2K Pro
Mi Smart Clock
Compact and minimalist design for the Mi Smart Clock that integrates seamlessly into any room in the house. The device has a 3 color touchscreen, 97 ?? it allows you to view the time, weather, calendar and can even function as a digital photo frame. Thanks to the special mode ?? Sunrise ?? of the alarm clock , Mi Smart Clock is able to gradually increase the brightness of the display and the ringtone volume when the alarm is suspended, thus facilitating awakening from sleep. And with Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in, Mi Smart Clock acts as a home AIoT control and entertainment hub, enabling voice control of different devices Mi smart , such as streaming video from security cameras or playing music and multimedia content from smartphones, even at high volumes.
Mi 360 ° Home Security Camera 2K Pro
This brand new device is equipped with a 3MP camera which can reach a resolution of 2304 x 1296 for even sharper images. The camera’s large f / 1.4 aperture, 6P lens and highly sensitive image sensor ensure detailed and bright color images even in low light conditions. It also adopts the next generation AI human detection algorithm to detect human silhouettes and keep users informed via automatic messages. Thanks to dual microphones and active noise cancellation technology, Mi 360 ° Home Security Camera 2K Pro supports clear two-way communication. And for privacy-conscious users, the device offers a mode that allows them to spin re the camera inwards, thus preventing you from viewing the surrounding environment, through a simple configuration on their Mi Home app. The device also supports voice control via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Mi Smart Clock and Mi 360 ° Home Security Camera 2K Pro will be available in Italy starting from month of March both at the price of 59 , 99 ??.
In the run-up to the CES, Panasonic gave a preview of its upcoming OLED TV top device JZW 2004, which has screen diagonals of 55 and 65 inches to not yet mentioned prices should come on the market. The final specifications for the device will not be published until March, but the manufacturer has already presented some highlights.
Above all, this includes the new “HCX Pro AI” processor, which is supposed to recognize whether the current content is a film, a sports broadcast, a music video, a news program or a game. On the basis of this scene-by-scene analysis, according to Panasonic, the processor is then able to independently select the most suitable picture and sound settings.
According to the manufacturer, the AI was developed with more than a million Reference excerpts fed with the various contents.
Panasonic demonstrated in the video conference that the “Master HDR OLED Professional Edition “panel sets standards in the market in terms of brightness and color fidelity. c’t will of course check this on the living object.
Finally HDMI 2.1 on board The JZW 2004 will also be Panasonic’s first television with an HDMI 2.1 port. The device can accept 4K content with up to 120 Hertz and increased contrast range (High Dynamic Range, HDR). Additional HDMI 2.1 functions support a variable frame rate (VRR) and automatic selection of the mode with the lowest latency (ALLM) for games. Speaking of games: A new “Game Mode Extreme” is intended to significantly reduce the input lag. During a demonstration with the current model, the value of 14, 7 fell on 14, 4 ms.
Panasonic already supports the HDR formats HDR 10, HDR 10 +, HLG and Dolby Vision – with the current top model including ambient light sensor. At the JZW 2004 the recently presented “HDR 10 + Adaptive “are added. Finally, its speakers also radiate to the side in order to envelop the viewer more closely.
Sony has announced an expansion of its 360 Reality Audio platform, bringing the 360-degree music format to more devices and media as well as offering new creation tools. 360 Reality Audio uses object-based spatial audio technology to place instruments or vocals around the listener’s head in a virtual sound field.
Now, Sony is expanding the audio tech into video. The company says it’s working with record labels and service providers to start streaming video content with 360 Reality Audio later this year, and the first example will be a live performance from Sony-signed artist Zara Larsson next week. You’ll be able to watch through Sony’s Artist Connection mobile app at 5pm ET on January 11th.
Sony is releasing two new 360 Reality Audio-compatible speakers this spring, the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000, although there isn’t much detail on either beyond support for Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. Sony has also developed a new 3D audio plugin called the 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite, which is compatible with DAWs like Pro Tools and will be released at the end of this month.
There are currently around 4,000 songs available in 360 Reality Audio across services like Tidal and Deezer, Sony says. The format works with most regular headphones or compatible speakers like Amazon’s Echo Studio.
When it comes to wireless earbuds, Sony and Bose are two of the best brands out there. Here we’re comparing the two premium models: the Sony WF-1000XM3 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds.
They’re both completely wireless, both boast superb sound and both offer noise-cancelling technology. But which is more worthy of your hard-earned money? Let’s run down the main features and specs and see which is the right pair of wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds for you.
These are the best headphones for all styles and budgets
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: price
The Sony WF-1000XM3 are much older than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, and while their launch prices weren’t that different, the Sonys can be picked up much cheaper now.
The Sonys launched at £220 ($230), but now sell for around £70 ($80) less than that. The QuietComfort Earbuds launched at £249 ($280, AU$399), and while they too are available at a discount, it’s a much smaller price cut than the Sonys.
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: battery life
(Image credit: Sony)
Battery life is a key consideration when buying a pair of wireless earbuds. After all, even the sweetest-sounding pair won’t be much good if they conk out after five minutes.
Sony’s pair manage six hours of run time from the earbuds themselves, plus an additional three charges from the supplied carry case. That gives you a total of 24 hours of juice before you need to find a plug.
Turn off noise cancelling, and these numbers grow even more impressive: the battery life jumps to eight hours, with the case bumping it up to an impressive total of 32 hours. In a rush? Just 10 minutes of charging time is enough to breathe 90 minutes of life into them.
The QuietComfort Earbuds can’t match this. They give you six hours from a single charge, with the charging case supplying an extra two charges, making 18 hours in total. That’s decent, but no match for the Sonys.
A 15-minute quick-charge should give you a couple of hours if you’re caught short. Which is very similar to what the Sonys offer.
**Winner** Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: design and comfort
(Image credit: Bose)
The Sonys look pretty unobtrusive, but they hide some pretty neat tech. The outer section of each earpiece is smooth plastic with a small, glossy, circular patch on the surface of both left and right buds. These patches are actually touch sensitive control pads; the functions vary depending on the earpiece.
Sony has implemented a ‘Tri-hold structure’ for the WF-1000XM3, which focuses on three key points in your ear to give the headphones better support. There is even a special high-friction rubber on the surface of the main chamber to help with stability.
Sony provides seven different sizes of earbud; four ‘hybrid silicone’ buds and three ‘triple-comfort’ buds, which feel slightly thicker than the standard ones. It’s a good selection, and more than you get with many rivals. The headphones enter the ear at a slight downward angle, you then have to twist them up to lock them in place. The intrusion is kept to a minimum, but you still feel nicely isolated from outside noise.
Overall, they’re a comfortable, balanced fit – snug without being too intrusive. They’re not designed specifically to be sports earbuds, though the locked-in-place fit does help make them an option.
And what of the QuietComfort Earbuds? Bose’s buds are its first to combine both noise-cancelling and true wireless technologies. As such, there’s a lot to pack in, which makes them a bit on the chunky side. Still, they feel nice and premium, and the winged eartips boast a smooth, matte finish, too, helping heighten the impression of quality.
There’s a choice of small, medium and large tips – this seems a little stingy, but the edges of the tips are so generous in size, it makes it easy to get a good seal. You don’t need to drive them in like tent pegs to feel the isolation, which is great for comfort levels. We’re also fans of how simple it is to swap the tips around. Just slide them on and off the earbuds and you can have a new pair fitted in seconds.
The Bose earbuds feel lightweight and we have no issues listening for a few hours at a time. For the average commute or exercise session (the QuietComforts are both sweat and weather-resistant) they do the job very well indeed.
**Winner** Draw
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: features
(Image credit: Sony)
Like the Bose pair, the Sonys feature noise cancellation tech to block out unwanted sounds. And like other true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM3 come with their own charging case. This doesn’t feature a battery indicator, but the red LED light on the front blinks rapidly if it doesn’t have enough juice to fully charge the headphones.
Want to see the exact battery level? You’ll need the Sony Headphones Connect app on your smartphone. This also lets you alter the built-in equalizer, enable Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant support and flip the functions of the touch controls – useful for any left-handers who feel more comfortable this way.
Speaking of touch controls, the XM3’s are very good indeed. The left control pad is for turning noise cancelling on or off (it’s on by default) and engaging the Ambient Sound mode, which allows in a bit more outside noise. And the right pad is for playback controls. Remove an earpiece and it’ll automatically pause what’s playing. Place it back in your ear and you’ll pick up where you left off.
The controls take a little time to get used to, particularly as there’s a small target for your fingers to aim for, but they are a lot better than some. Especially since the firmware update that adds volume controls.
Bose’s charging case is a chunky affair, but it feels solid and built to last. You need to press a button on the front to gain entry, which is unusual for a pair of wireless earbuds, as most just tend to settle for a magnetic lid. A row of LEDs on the front of the case shows you how much battery life is left inside.
When first using the QuietComfort Earbuds, open the case and have the Bose Music app (for Android and iOS) to hand. You’ll be prompted to pair and guided through all the key features.
By default, you touch and hold your finger on the touchpad of the right earbud to access voice assistants or decline a call. Double-tap to play/pause and answer. Touch and hold your finger on the left earbud to skip a track or check the battery level.
You can customise some features and controls based on what you use the most often, and – just like the Sonys – you can control volume from the buds themselves.
Noise cancelling is Bose’s forte, so it’s no surprise to hear that here the function is more advanced than most. The Bose music app gives you a noise-cancelling sliding scale which ranges from zero (no noise-cancelling) to 10 (maximum noise-cancelling). Through the app you can assign three different positions – say 0, 5 and 10 – as ‘Favourites’ and cycle through them by double tapping the left earpiece. Very handy.
The QuietComfort Earbuds more than live up to their billing, cutting out huge swathes of background noise on the maximum setting. And if you want more of the outside world to seep in, the headphones adapt perfectly. Take an earbud out to have a conversation and the Bose buds don’t just pause playback, they automatically cut the noise-cancelling in the earbud left in your ear so you can hear more clearly.
**Winner** Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: sound quality
(Image credit: Bose)
The Sony WF-1000XM3 produce a wonderfully musical sound. They have subtlety in spades, and deliver bass notes with power and poise. This kind of dynamic dexterity is hard to communicate in big on-ear headphones, never mind small in-ear designs.
They also show an impressive turn of pace. Bass is weighty and wholesome, but punchy and agile too. Vocals are prominent, but don’t over power. There’s a real sense of musicality and balance.
The level of transparency is very well judged too – poor recordings aren’t dressed up, but better-than-average tracks really sing.
Part of the credit has to go the noise cancelling. They can’t match a pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones but it’s difficult not to be impressed with what Sony has managed to do with such small earbuds.
So how do the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds stack up? Very well, we’re happy to report. Their excellent noise-cancelling skills allow their superb sound quality to shine through untarnished.
Their sense of enthusiasm and excitement is infectious – there’s power, poise and a fantastic sense of dynamism. Bass notes sound full-bodied, go deep and the QuietComfort Earbuds squeeze out lots of detail.
We would describe the Bose sound as one full of natural warmth and richness, but the music never sounds smothered – even with the noise-cancelling on its highest setting. An impressive performance from Bose’s first true wireless, noise cancelling pair.
**Winner** Draw
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: verdict
Two pairs of wireless earbuds, two fantastic listening experiences. So which should you buy?
It really depends on your priorities. The Sonys offer superb value, better battery life, a lean, crisp sound and more sizes of ear tips, while the QuietComfort Earbuds have more advanced noise-cancellation and a fuller, richer sound.
Overall, thank in no small part to the price drop, we think the Sony WF-1000XM3 represent the best performance-per-pound value but the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are undoubtedly an excellent alternative.
**Winner** Sony WF-1000XM3
MORE:
Read the full Sony WF-1000XM3 review
Read the full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds review
Here’s our guide to the best wireless in-ear headphones
And here’s what’s next: Sony WF-1000XM4: what to expect
JBL always has plenty of products launching around CES time and we’ve got another brand new series of wireless noise-cancelling headphones to bring you, on top of the recent additions to its Live range.
The new Tour series has, in JBL’s own words, been “designed for business professionals” and consists of two models, the JBL Tour One and JBL Tour Pro+. The former are wireless, noise-cancelling headphones, while the latter take the form of true wireless earbuds, both of which can access virtual voice assistants from Amazon and Google.
The Tour One use 40mm drivers and feature JBL’s True Adaptive Noise Cancelling technology, which monitors your environment in real-time and alters the level of noie-cancelling automatically. You’ve also got Adaptive Ambient Aware and TalkThru features plus a four-mic array for taking phone calls.
Battery life is 25 hours with Bluetooth and noise-cancelling switched on and around 50 hours using just Bluetooth. Thanks to Speed Charging, a quick 10 minute stint at the power socket (the headphones charge via USB-C) should be enough for two hours of playback.
One particularly interesting feature is JBL’s new Smart Audio Mode, which allows you to optimise the Bluetooth connection for normal listening, switch up the quality in “music mode” or switch to the low latency “video mode” to get your picture and sound in perfect sync ( although we’re not sure why you can’t watch videos and listen in the best quality). You can flick between the different settings using a dedicated Smart Switch on the headphones.
(Image credit: JBL)
The JBL Tour Pro+ wireless earbuds also feature Adaptive Noise Cancelling and use 6.8mm drivers. They boast around six hours battery life per charge with Bluetooth and noise-cancelling both switched on, and around eight hours using just Bluetooth. A Speed Charge of ten minutes should be good for one hour of playback.
These AirPods rivals are also IPX4 sweatproof and include a fit customization feature which can be accessed through the JBL Headphones app to help ensure you get the best fit possible.
Keen to get your hands on a pair? You’ve got quite a wait, as the JBL Tour series only launches in May 2021, with the JBL Tour One set to cost £279.99 (€299, $299.95) and the JBL Tour Pro+ priced at £179.99 (€199, $199.95).
MORE:
Our pick of the best wireless noise-cancelling headphones
Though it hasn’t been the most auspicious start, there are reasons to believe 2021 will be a more positive year than the one it has come to replace.
It certainly has its work cut out delivering a better crop of albums – as this list of the best albums of 2020 proves – but if these ten already promised are anything to go by then we’ve little need to worry.
The wait might be a little longer for some than others, but there are pre-orders live, singles already released and plenty of reasons to get excited.
25 of the best 1980s albums to test your speakers
Isles by Bicep
(Image credit: Ninja Tune)
If Bicep’s self-titled debut album introduced the Northern Irish duo to the mainstream in 2017, Isles is surely about to launch them into the stratosphere. We’ve already heard enough to expect an even more euphoric set of festival-ready dance tunes when the new album is released on 22nd January, the trio of singles Atlas, Apricots and Saku filling us with the hope of a long summer spent with everyone we missed in 2020.
Pre-order Isles by Bicep vinyl
Sound Ancestors by Madlib & Four Tet
(Image credit: Menschenmaterial)
Someone likely to be sharing a number of stages with Bicep in 2021 is Kieran Hebden, who released his tenth album as Four Tet in 2020. He also revealed he’s spent the past few years working with rapper and producer Madlib on an album the pair will release in January. “I was listening to some of his new beats when I had the idea it would be great to hear some of these made into a Madlib solo album,” he said. “Not for vocalists to use but arranged into an album designed to be listened to start to finish.”
View Sixteen Oceans by Four Tet vinyl
TBA by The Cure
(Image credit: Mr. Rossi)
We’ve been awaiting another record from The Cure since 4:13 Dream came out in 2008, so there’s no guarantee when it’ll actually arrive, but Robert Smith hinted that 2020 had been a fruitful year for the band when he spoke to BBC Radio 6. “Our whole idea for this year [2020] was really finishing off the album we started last year,” he said. “So it’s actually benefited me because there have been no other distractions; I’ve actually got a lot of what I wanted to do done.”
View Greatest Hits by The Cure vinyl
Legacy+ by Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
(Image credit: Partisan Records)
Father and son Femi and Made Kuti – son and grandson respectively of legendary Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti – are releasing Legacy+ together on 5th February, a double recordmade up of the albums For(e)ward and Stop The Hate. “I’ve learnt so much from my father politically, socially, philosophically and musically that I know this lovely project is only the beginning of more beautiful things to come,” promises Made.
Pre-order Legacy+ by Femi Kuti & Made Kuti vinyl
As The Love Continues by Mogwai
(Image credit: Rock Action)
As The Love Continues, Mogwai’s first non-soundtrack album since 2017’s Every Country’s Sun, is to be released on 19th February – exactly 25 years since the band released its first single, Tuner/Lower. The Scottish post-rock pioneers have evolved a lot since then, but it’s evident from lead single Dry Fantasy that their output is set to become no less atmospheric.
Pre-order As The Love Continues by Mogwai vinyl
As Days Get Dark by Arab Strap
(Image credit: Rock Action)
It’s set to be a big year for Mogwai’s record label, Rock Action, which is also home to the return of Arab Strap. Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton released their first songs under the moniker for 15 years in 2020, with the singles The Turning of Our Bones and Compersion Pt.1, and that pair of shadowy poems will find their way onto As Days Get Dark on 5th March.
Pre-order As Days Get Dark by Arab Strap vinyl
Certified Lover Boy by Drake
(Image credit: OVO)
Initially expected in summer 2020, when he released lead single Laugh Now Cry Later, Drake’s sixth studio album was pushed back to January, which has only heightened the anticipation. It’s not as if the world’s biggest rapper has been missing, dropping his Dark Lane Demo Tapes mixtape in May, but he promises Certified Lover Boy will be “music to evolve to”.
View Scorpion by Drake vinyl
Utopia by Travis Scott
(Image credit: Epic Records)
Drake isn’t the only one of rap’s big hitters primed to release new music in 2021, with Travis Scott announcing the follow-up to 2018’s Astroworld a few months back. If the single Franchise is anything to go by we can expect some huge features, with Young Thug and M.I.A. appearing on that track, which was later remixed by Future.
View Astroworld by Travis Scott vinyl
TBA by FKA twigs
(Image credit: Bobo Boom)
We’re not yet quite over the majesty of FKA twigs’s second album, Magdalene, and already she has written another. “I ended up making a whole album in quarantine,” she told the Grammy Museum’s Programs at Home series. “It was maybe one-third of the way through and I just said, ‘you know what, I’m just going to make an album’, and I just went and did it. There’s no title or release date yet, but we’ll be here for it whenever the album drops.
View Magdalene by FKA twigs vinyl
Spare Ribs by Sleaford Mods
(Image credit: Rough Trade Records)
Jason Williamson is someone whose thoughts we’ll always be ready to hear, for the acerbic wit with which they are delivered as much as the value of their content. And if ever there was a time we needed Sleaford Mods’s input, it is now. We’ve had a taste of the band’s Spare Ribs with the single Mork + Mindy, and we’re slavering for the album’s full release on 14th January.
Pre-order Spare Ribs by Sleaford Mods vinyl
MORE:
20 of the best albums of 2020
10 of the best movies of 2020
10 of the best vinyl albums to tell someone you love them
Apple revealed its App Store saw a record-breaking $1.8 billion in user spending over the Holiday period with $514 million alone spent on January 1, 2021. The numbers include both apps and digital subscription services like Apple Music, News, Books, TV+ and the new Fitness+ app.
App Store • Apple Arcade • Apple Books • Apple Podcasts
The accompanying press release also detailed the adoption rates of Apple Pay which is present in over 90% of US stores, 85% in the UK and nearly 99% of retailers in Australia. Apple Books has over 90 million monthly active users (MAUs). Apple Arcade boasts over 140 gaming titles while Apple Podcasts is present in over 175 countries and more than 100 languages.
Apple also revealed developers on the App Store has now earned over $200 billion since its inception in 2008. Check out more details in the press release below.
Mustafa Mahmoud 11 mins ago Featured Tech News, Lifestyle, Software & Gaming
Music can play a major role in elevating video games from being a good game, to a great one. Unfortunately access to video game music – especially from Japan – has historically been limited, leading fans to often resort to listening to covers of their favourite game soundtracks. A series known for its music, Persona, is finally making its way to music streaming services, with the many of Atlus’ game soundtracks now available on Spotify.
Making the announcement on Twitter, Atlus West revealed that “Soundtracks from the Persona series, Catherine, and Etrian Odyssey are now available on Spotify!” They have also been added to Apple Music, for those who prefer to use Apple’s service.
As the songs are listed in Japanese, simply searching for the album will not yield the results. Instead, by clicking the link HERE, you’ll be taken directly to a playlist which contains almost 750 songs across all of Persona’s games. The OST for Catherine meanwhile can be found HERE.
While publishers have slowly been adding their back catalogue of game soundtrack to music streaming services, a major omission comes from Nintendo, who has yet to adopt this more modern form of music consumption. Hopefully the console manufacturer, who has created some of the most iconic video game music of all time, will follow suit soon enough.
KitGuru says: Do you think video game music is important? What is your favourite OST? Do you listen to video game music outside of the games themselves? Let us know down below.
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ViewSonic introduces the VX2705-2KP-MHD gaming monitor
ViewSonic is getting ready to launch a new QHD high refresh-rate IPS panel aimed at …
João Silva 35 mins ago Featured Tech News, Monitors
ViewSonic is getting ready to launch a new QHD high refresh-rate IPS panel aimed at gamers. Following the success of the VX2758-2KP-MHD, the manufacturer has announced the VX2705-2KP-MHD.
With a 27-inch SuperClear IPS panel with a 2560x1440p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time (MPRT), the ViewSonic VX2705-2KP-MHD aims to provide users with a “stunning viewing experience”. The contrast ratio of 1000:1 and the 350nits of typical brightness allows this 10-bit (8-bit + FRC) panel to cover up to 96% of the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, 93% of the NTSC spectrum, and 131% of the sRGB colour gamut.
This monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium to reduce tearing and stuttering when using an AMD graphics card, and comes with multiple view modes to choose from, depending on the content the monitor is displaying or the game the user is playing. Additionally, it features Flicker-Free technology and a Blue Light Filter to reduce the user’s eye fatigue and strain when using it for long periods of time and ECO-Mode to reduce brightness and power consumption to an optimal setting.
The ViewSonic VX2705-2KP-MHD comes with a couple of 2W built-in speakers, an audio-out 3.5mm jack, 2x HDMI 2.0 ports, and a DisplayPort. The included stand only allows the user to tilt the display, but there’s support for VESA 100×100 mounts if there’s the need to increase its ergonomics.
ViewSonic hasn’t shared the pricing and availability of the VX2705-2KP-MHD yet. You can learn more about this monitor HERE.
KitGuru says: Are you looking for a new monitor for your setup? Do the VX2705-2KP-MHD specifications meet your requirements?
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Persona 3, 4, 5 and more soundtracks added to Spotify
Music can play a major role in elevating video games from being a good game, …
Mustafa Mahmoud 2 hours ago Console, Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming, Tech News
While the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series of consoles arrived with a leap in CPU and GPU performance that is expected of a net-gen system, Sony opted to focus on also adding a number of new and unique features to its new console. Since launch, many users have praised the PS5’s DualSense controller, deeming it to be the true star of the new generation. Following this overwhelming praise, it would appear as though Microsoft may be planning their own version of the DualSense.
As reported by VGC, Microsoft has sent out a questionnaire to owners of its recently released Xbox Series X|S consoles asking them whether they would be interested in seeing the DualSense’s unique features added to Xbox.
The questionnaire offers respondents to express whether they are “aware of features on PlayStation controllers” that they “wish were on the controller that came with this console [the Xbox Series X|S],” with a question later asking for more specific details on which exact features they would like.
The DualSense launched alongside the PS5 with a number of unique features. While features such as the inbuilt mic and speaker, as well as the sixaxis motion carried over from the DualShock 4, the DualSense also added adaptive triggers and new haptic motors – which can make for a much more immersive experience when done correctly.
While there have been fears surrounding long-term third party support – especially due to the lack of such features on the Xbox systems – seeing these features added to the Xbox controller would certainly prove to be beneficial to the industry as a whole. It’ll be interesting to see whether Mcirosoft does indeed eventually introduce a new controller with similar features.
KitGuru says: What do you think of the DualSense? Is it as exciting as many claim? Would you like to see the features brought over to Xbox? Let us know down below.
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Persona 3, 4, 5 and more soundtracks added to Spotify
Music can play a major role in elevating video games from being a good game, …
Matthew Wilson 18 hours ago Featured Tech News, General Tech
Over the years, Netflix has raised its monthly subscription prices a few times, usually by $1 or £1 each time. In 2021, prices will be increasing for UK customers again, which unfortunately coincides with the newly announced COVID-19 lockdown.
Netflix prices in the UK will increase from £8.99 to £9.99 per month for the standard package. For the Premium monthly package (UHD streaming and up to four devices), prices will increase from £11.99 per month to £13.99 per month. The basic £5.99 tier of Netflix remains unchanged.
These price bumps will come into effect on February 1st, so it is going to be a very quick and unexpected turnaround. Currently, the UK is undergoing another lockdown, forcing all non key-workers to remain in their homes to lessen the spread of COVID-19.
Unfortunately, other streaming services are also looking to raise prices this year too. Disney+ for instance is rising to £7.99 per month.
KitGuru Says: What do you all think of Netflix’s decision to increase prices again? Will you be continuing your subscription, or will you be cancelling before the change comes into effect?
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Persona 3, 4, 5 and more soundtracks added to Spotify
Music can play a major role in elevating video games from being a good game, …
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